TAGUM City, Feb. 2, 2015 — A Segunada Mana Night Market for a cause, why not? The Diocese of Tagum will be setting up a sale of new and pre-loved items from Feb. 19 to 20 at the Social Action Center, Diocese of Tagum as part of the activities lined up for the Mindanao celebration of the 40th Alay Kapwa (AK) anniversary and the launching of the Year of the Poor.
“I appreciated much how the ‘Segunda Mana’ of Caritas-Manila operates. And I wish to replicate it here in our diocese. So, I am now starting to go around within the diocese to encourage people, especially in the middle class to donate things which they no longer need, yet, valuable to people in other classes of the society,” said Fr. Emerson “EmEm” L. Luego, Director of the Social Action Ministry of the Diocese of Tagum.
The Social Action Center is located at the back of the Parish of Christ the Eucharistic King (PCEK Parish or the old Cathedral), Rizal Street, Tagum City
Local entrepreneurs
According to the priest, the clergy are not exempt from donating items for sale, in fact, the Tagum clergy have started to bring out T-shirts, pants and shoes they no longer use for the Night Market.
Luego shared that it is also his hope that the event can provide local entrepreneurs an avenue to link with consumers from other places in Mindanao and even Manila due to the presence of delegates and guests coming in from these places during the celebration.
With the help of the LGUs within the diocese, especially the T agum City government, all the products produced as outputs from their livelihood trainings will also be displayed for sale.
The proceeds of the Night Market will be used to fund thematic programs of social action like projects for disaster preparedness and relief; justice and peace; farmers’ welfare; ecology; socio-economic activities; and other humanitarian undertakings.
500 years of Christianity
According to Luego, the delegates will also be encouraged to visit Compostela Valley that was struck by super typhoon Pablo and where the “Pabahay” project is.
“They will be briefed how the Diocese of Tagum through its organized Operation Tabang (OpTa) was able to manage millions of pesos coming from the different donors here and abroad, that were intended for rehabilitation,” Luego added.
Meanwhile, Tagum Bishop Wilfredo D. Manlapaz, D.D. encouraged all apostolates, Church leaders, and parishioners to join and witness the launching of the Year of the Poor on Feb 21, saying: “…Every faithful Catholics must know and discern the importance why the Catholic Church declares 2015 as the Year of the Poor.”
“The CBCP continues in its preparation for the 500 years of Christianity by the year 2021, apportions also the year 2015 as the Year of the Poor. The Second Plenary Council of the Philippines says, No one is so poor as to have nothing to give, and no one is so rich as to have nothing to receive. May our poor brothers and sisters be given enough attention and care so that they can get rid of unfair hardship,” he added. (Yen Ocampo/CBCPNews)
